Dynetics continues work to incorporate laser weapons and high-power microwaves into Army air defense system

Questions and answers:

• What is the purpose of the IFPC system being developed by Dynetics? It protects military sites from aerial threats such as uncrewed aircraft, cruise missiles, rockets, artillery, and mortars, using a combination of launchers and interceptors.
• How will high-energy lasers and high-power microwaves help the IFPC system? Laser weapons will target and damage physical components of threats like drones and artillery shells, while high-power microwaves will disrupt the electronics and communication systems of drones, rockets, and other vehicles.
• What is the timeline and scope of the contract for IFPC development? Dynetics will continue developing the IFPC system under a $264.6 million contract, with work expected to be completed by July 2026, across multiple locations including Huntsville, Ala., Dallastown, Pa., and Chanhassen, Minn.

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – Air defense experts at Dynetics Inc. in Huntsville, Ala., will continue building a mobile ground-based weapon to protect military sites from uncrewed aircraft, cruise missiles, rockets, artillery, and mortars under terms of a $264.6 million contract announced in late July.

Officials of the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., are asking Dynetics, a Leidos company, to handle requirements for the Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) -- an Army weapon designed to protect high-value and critical fixed or semi-fixed military sites from medium-range aerial threats.

IFPC combines launchers and interceptors to fill a protective gap between short-range and long-range air-defense systems like Patriot and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.

IFPC uses missiles such as the AIM-9X Sidewinder, and is being developed to include other technologies like high-energy laser weapons and electromagnetic weapons like high-power microwaves to counter aerial threats.

Tell me more about how IFPC will incorporate laser weapons and high-power microwaves ...

• IFPC is expected to incorporate high-energy laser weapons and high-power microwave weapons to defeat enemy drones, rockets, artillery, mortars, and missiles. Laser weapons are effective against low-cost, fast-moving drones and artillery shells, which are difficult for traditional missile defense systems to intercept. High-power microwaves emit bursts of electromagnetic energy to disable or destroy enemy drones, rockets, or vehicles by interfering with their electronic systems, sensors, and communications. High-energy lasers and high-power microwave systems likely will work together in IFPC, , where lasers destroy or damage physical components, while high-power microwaves target electronics.

IFPC is to defend critical sites and forward operating bases, and integrates with command-and-control networks like the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) for coordinated air and missile defense.

Dynetics has been developing and building IFPC systems since 2021, such as launcher prototypes, interceptors, and magazines. The company won a $237.4 million Army prototype contract in September 2021 for 16 launcher prototypes for IFPC Increment 2. In November 2024 Dynetics won a potential $4.1 billion contract for IFPC Increment 2, covering initial production of launchers.

IFPC is designed to handle conventional indirect-fire threats like rockets, artillery, and mortars, as well as drones and supersonic cruise missiles.

On this contract Dynetics will do the work in Huntsville, Ala.; Dallastown, Pa.; and Chanhassen, Minn., and should be finished by July 2026. For more information contact Dynetics online at www.leidos.com/insights/dynetics, or the Army Contracting Command-Redstone at https://acc.army.mil/contractingcenters/acc-rsa/.